But Jones was still at NFL headquarters in New York for other sessions, pre-planned and for team owners to discuss league business. And he got an earful from a man in the lobby of the building.

Jerry Jones, in New York on Tuesday for NFL meetings, got an earful from a protester. (AP)

The protester held a sign illustrating how slaves were muzzled by their masters, presumably a metaphor for Jones saying Dallas players must not do anything he considers disrespectful during the national anthem or he will not let them play.

And he loudly approached Jones, who to his credit paused and seemed to listen to what the man had to say before being ushered off by security.

The man was talking before the video picks up, but it starts with the man saying, “White supremacy, and you want to treat them like $40 million slaves. Gladiators [who] are well paid to beat each other’s brains out, but they have to keep their mouths shut when talking about injustice. Look at the videos of the police getting away with murder and tell me are wrong for protesting, and that they have no right to do that.”

Though Jones wasn’t part of the meeting with players, there were many who believed he’d take over the owners’ meeting on anthem protests, given his feelings on the matter. But there have been reports that the discussions between owners and players was truly productive in terms of how the two sides can use their power to affect social change, so hopefully Jones can see the bigger picture.